# John Baptizes Jesus Life of Jesus · Draft · BSB Content revision: c75d03cd07415cf7 · No editorial review date recorded [Citation / readable page](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/john-baptizes-jesus/) [Open interactive map](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/?event=john-baptizes-jesus) [Markdown](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/john-baptizes-jesus/index.md) [JSON](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/john-baptizes-jesus/index.json) Date: About thirty years old. Luke 3:23 gives an approximate age, not an exact birth year. Jesus is baptized by John, the Spirit descends and a heavenly voice identifies him as the beloved Son. Luke follows the scene with Jesus’s approximate age and a genealogy reaching back to Adam. Luke emphasizes prayer, while Matthew includes John’s initial objection. Luke’s genealogy differs from Matthew’s and is not silently harmonized here. The baptism’s exact river site is not fixed by these accounts. ## Primary Scripture [Matthew 3:13–17 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%203%3A13%E2%80%9317&version=BSB) 3:13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 3:14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 3:15 “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” [Mark 1:9–11 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201%3A9%E2%80%9311&version=BSB) 1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 1:10 As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” [Luke 3:21–38 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203%3A21%E2%80%9338&version=BSB) 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened, 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” 3:23 Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 3:25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 3:26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 3:27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 3:28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 3:29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 3:30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 3:31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 3:32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 3:35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 3:36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 3:37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 3:38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. ## Related Scripture [Isaiah 42:1–4 · teaching](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2042%3A1%E2%80%934&version=BSB) The Spirit-endowed servant offers prophetic context for the baptism scene. ## Location evidence The accounts name the Jordan, but do not securely locate the precise baptism point. The shaded valley is illustrative, not the river’s measured ancient channel. Event map marker: Approximate region; \[longitude, latitude\] = \[35.56, 32.15\]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue. Jordan valley: Approximate region. Coordinates \[longitude, latitude\]: \[35.56, 32.15\]. Classification source: editorial. Illustrative regional extent: \[\[35.45,31.7\],\[35.68,32.65\]\]; not a measured confidence interval. [Gospel setting; extent is an editorial illustration, not a boundary](https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/3) [Gospel setting; extent is an editorial illustration, not a boundary](https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/3) ## For the class What do the voice, Spirit and genealogy each contribute to the introduction of Jesus? ## Interpretation and reuse Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review. Record source: theographic (267) Record source: editorial Events and places adapted from Theographic Bible Metadata (github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata), CC BY-SA 4.0. This adapted data is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas. Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm [Use this atlas with AI / data documentation](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/ai/)